


Dark Cupid | Alternate Ending

by EpicLilKitty



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: LadyNoir - Freeform, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-05
Updated: 2018-02-05
Packaged: 2019-03-14 00:19:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13582038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EpicLilKitty/pseuds/EpicLilKitty
Summary: Dark Cupid One-Shot. What should have happened





	Dark Cupid | Alternate Ending

“How are you gonna fight both of us _now_ , Bug Eyes?” Chat Noir sneered, bumping his fist against Dark Cupid’s as he smirked at Ladybug. The Akumatized Victim made a sound of agreement as Chat Noir called upon the power gifted to him by his Miraculous. “Cataclysm!” The leather-clad hero cried out, allowing the dark energy to surround his gloved hand. He looks at his fist, dark magic seeming to pool around his fingertips. Ladybug poked her head out from the tree she was currently taking refuge behind to glare at the pair.

“I’ve often wondered what would happen if I used my Cataclysm on someone,” Chat said conversationally as the spotted heroine ducked back behind the tree.

“Lucky Charm!” She cried, tossing her yo-yo into the hair to conjure up the special item that would eventually help her defeat her opponents. The spotted object fell into her hand and she blinked at it in confusion. “Huh? A Candy Apple? What am I supposed to do with this?” She wondered, starting at the object with confusion and annoyance on her face. _Why_ did her powers have to be so confusing at times? Chat’s Cataclysm was so easy and straightforward. Touch something and destroy it. That was it. Her power, on the other hand, was an almost constant test of wit and cleverness.

“Think, Ladybug,” she said to herself, poking her head back out from behind the tree to scan the area. Immediately the fountain between the two boys lit up in her Ladybug vision. Flicking her eyes around, she noticed Chat’s fist-the one currently controlling Cataclysm-lit up, along with the strap holding Dark Cupid’s quiver to his back.

“Hey!” The girl said, delighted at having discovered the solution so quickly. Grinning at the candy apple in her hand, she immediately leaped out from her hiding spot. In one hand, she clutched the Lucky Charm; in the other, she spun her yo-yo so rapidly it acted as a shield. “I’ve got a Valentine’s Gift for you,” she called out to the pair. They smirked and immediately leaped into action. Dark Cupid took off into the air, rapidly firing arrows at the girl. Turning towards him with a scowl, Ladybug used her yo-yo to expertly deflect the attacks. She was so focused on him, she almost forgot about Chat Noir. Almost, but not quite. Her eyes flicked up as he made a sound, to find him inches away, hand outstretched. Instinctively she bent over backwards as he lunged for her, eyes widening as his clawed glove passed inches from her face.

As he passed, she straightened up and grabbed his belt tail, using it to halt his progress before using his head like a springboard. Yeah, she could apologize for that one later. Launched into the air, Ladybug took aim and threw her Lucky Charm at the akumatized victim. The sticky treat immediately fixated itself upon the villains head and he growled as he reached up to tug it off. Ladybug landed upon the fountain with a triumphant grin. “Looks like you’ve got yourself in a sticky situation,” she said as Dark Cupid stared, shocked and annoyed at the candy apple currently stuck to his hand. He waved his hand, growling in frustration as he attempted to remove the Lucky Charm from his gloved hand. When he finally succeeded, he immediately grabbed an arrow and took aim at Ladybug, only to realize with his sticky gloves, he couldn’t properly release the arrow at his opponent.

“LADYBUG!” Dark Cupid shouted, anger filling his voice. Ladybug hopped down to a lower perch on the fountain. Now that Dark Cupid was occupied with cleaning the caramel from his glove and bow, she could deal with Chat.

“And now for the Pussycat,” she said, smirking at her partner. Chat glowered and lunged at her, but she was too quick, immediately leaping away along the fountains many statues. Chat Noir followed and just as she was about to make another leap, he lunged forward and knocked her to the ground.

“Chat Noir, her Miraculous,” Dark Cupid said, moving towards the fountain to wash away the sticky residue of the caramel apple.

“With pleasure,” Chat said, smiling wickedly down at the girl currently trapped beneath him. “Finally, I’ll find out who you are, Ladybug!” He used his free hand (the one not currently posed above his victim, surrounded with dark magic) to lift her earlobe, examining the spotted earrings she wore. The miraculous; the thing that made her Ladybug. Ladybug swallowed hard, panic in her blue eyes as she stared up at her partner. She knew she had to do something, but what?

“Your little secret will be out of the bag,” Chat continued, but before he could do anything else Ladybug lifted her hands and grabbed his face. His eyes widened as he looked at the hands currently framing his face. They widened even more when, without warning, Ladybug pulled his head down and pressed her lips to his. Chat stiffened, eyes impossibly wide as the magic currently possessing him began to ebb away. His eyes slid shut as he relaxed into the kiss, his hand lowering as the fight left him. Ladybug hadn’t known what to expect when she kissed her partner. She wasn’t entirely sure if a kiss really was enough to break the spell but for him, she had been willing to try it. It was her first kiss and she hadn’t really known what to expect, but the warmth that immediately furrowed through her and settled in the pit of her stomach had never been among the endless possibilities. This was Chat; her best friend, her partner, her confidant. He was her goofy, pun-loving cat. Nothing more. So why was she finding the kiss so damn pleasurable?

Opening her eyes suddenly, Ladybug released him and dropped her arms so they thudded lightly against the ground. She stared up at Chat as he sat up abruptly and looked around, eyes wide with confusion. “Huh!? Wh-What am I doing here?” He asked, looking around as if the answers he sought would appear out of thin air. Ladybug didn’t give him a chance to ask anything else. She grabbed his wrist and leg, hoisting him over her shoulders with practiced ease.

“No time. The quiver pin, Chat Noir. Now!” She said, before tossing him towards Dark Cupid. Chat yowled as he flew towards the akumatized victim, eyes wide with flight. Dark Cupid glanced up a moment before they collided, the tomcats weight enough to bring them to the ground. His hand controlling Cataclysm conveniently landed upon the quiver strap, causing it and the arrows to dissolve. “Grab it! Grab the pin!”

Chat Noir looked down and snatched up the pin, ignoring Dark Cupid’s protests. “Sorry. Need that.” He said, recovering quickly from his unexpected flight. Turning, he grinned at the spotted heroine. “Happy Valentines Day,” he said, tossing her the pin. Ladybug caught it with ease, her leg popping up as she pretended to be touched by the ‘gift’.

“Aww, you shouldn’t have,” she teased, smiling down at the pin before dropping it to the ground. “Whoops,” she said playfully, crushing the object under her foot. The second the object broke, a black and purple butterfly began to worm its way out of the object. Before it could get away, Ladybug used the tip of her finger to activate her Yo-Yo’s cleansing feature. “No more evil doing for you, little Akuma. Time to de-evilize!” She swung the Yo-Yo towards the butterfly, capturing it within the Yo-Yo before releasing it. The now white butterfly fluttered away as Dark Cupid morphed back into Kim in a haze of black and purple bubbles. “Bye bye little Butterfly,” she said, watching it disappear before turning away.

Ladybug tossed the candy apple up into the air with a cry of, “Miraculous Ladybug” and watched with the same awe she’d felt that first day as thousands of tiny magical ladybugs worked their magic to right the wrongs caused by the latest Akumatized victim. The girl held out her fist and smiled as her partner immediately bumped his fist against hers. “Pound it,” they said in unison before her Earrings beeped ominously.

“Oops,” Ladybug said, turning to leave. She stopped when Chat called out to her.

“Wait, Ladybug… I have to tell you something!” Chat said, reaching out towards her hesitantly. Ladybug shifted uneasily.

“Look, the kiss? I had to break the spell and-”

“Kiss? What kiss?” Chat asked in obvious confusion. Ladybug blinked at him, equally surprised. Did Chat not remember anything that had happened during their latest battle? “No, I just wanted to say-” His ring beeped before he could finish the sentence.

“Look out, Chat Noir, your ring is flashing,” Ladybug said urgently.

“Uh, yours too,” Chat said, pointing towards her miraculous.

“We’re about to turn into pumpkins,” Ladybug said with a shrug and a chuckle. “And personally, I’d rather not see that.”

The girl turned away again, fully planning on getting out of there before they detransformed, but gathering his courage Chat Noir once again stopped her, this time with a hand on her arm. “Wait, please. Will- will you meet up with me tonight? At the Eiffel Tower. Say around 8 o’clock? I really do have something I need to tell you.” Chat pleaded, ears drooping as he waited for her rejection. Surprisingly, it didn’t come. Ladybug looked back at her partner hesitantly and after a moment, an affectionate smile curved her lips and she found herself nodding.

“Alright, Chat. 8 o’clock. I’ll see you then.” Without awaiting a response, she whirled and took off, using her yo-yo to pull her up onto a nearby roof before sprinting towards home. Chat watched her go, a bubble of happiness filling him. He was going to see his Lady tonight and finally… he would tell her how he truly felt.

 

Ten minutes later, Marinette stood by the fence, watching as the mailman pulled up beside the mailbox in which she had deposited her card to Adrien. He pulled out a set of keys and unlocked the box, releasing the pile of letters inside. Tikki, her Kwami, popped up out of her purse to look up at her Chosen. “Hey, there’s your chance to get your card back,” she squeaked. The pigtailed girl laughed softly and shook her head.

“That was before,” the girl said quietly.

“Before what? Tell me!” Tikki exclaimed curiously.

“I realized that even with all of this hate everywhere, love still wins! But if I wanna win over Adrien, he needs to know the truth about how I feel!” She said with conviction in her voice. Tikki nodded her approval.

“Ah, this is a big day!” She said, pleased with her holder’s decision.

 

Across town, Adrien trudged into his room with a sigh and paused beside his bed, head bowed and shoulders slumped dejectedly. Plagg floated after him, his precious camembert clutched between his paws. “Ahahahahaha, can you believe all the horrible, thoughtless things you said to Ladybug?” He cackled, tossing the cheese up and swallowing it whole. Adrien sighed.

“You think its funny, huh?” He asked, allowing himself to fall face first onto the bed. After he had detransformed, his Kwami had wasted no time in telling him all the gory details of how he had treated Ladybug when Dark Cupid’s arrow of hate had possessed him. How was he going to tell her he loved her after _that!?_

“What’s the big deal? You’ve got so many cards from all these lady fans of yours. Take your pick!” The Kwami pointed out, diving into the pile of abandoned Valentines gifts and cars. He dug through the pile, tossing aside cards until he came across one in the shape of a heard. He stared at it speculatively before tossing it aside too. The card apparently had other plans, however, because rather than land in a heap with the others it floated over to settle on the bed beside the forlorn teenager. Opening his eyes, Adrien looked at the card before flipping it over to read it. Shock drove the boy into an upright position moments later.

“Wait, hold up! Someone answered my poem? But I threw it away!” He said, glancing at Plagg before reading the card out loud.

 **Your hair shines like the sun  
** **Your eyes are gorgeous green  
** **I look at you and wonder, your  
** **innermost thoughts and dreams  
** **Yes your Valentine I will be, our  
** **Love will be so true; Together  
** **For Eternity, my heart belongs to you**

The boy gasped softly, undeniably delighted, while Plagg groaned in disgust and shook his head. “Well, anyone who writes as sickeningly sweet as you _must_ be your soulmate.” Adrien turned back to the card, turning it this way and that before giving his Kwami a forlorn look.

“It isn’t _signed_ ,” he said sadly. Before he could dwell further on that, however, a ladybug fluttered past. The boy watched with fascination as the tiny, spotted creature landed on the card before fluttering away once more. He gasped slightly, delighted. Hopping up, he chased the little creature across the room, vaulting over his couch and stopping only when it departed the room through his open window. Pressing his hands to the glass, the boy stood on his tiptoes in hopes of catching one last glimpse of the little bug. “Could it have come from Ladybug?” He sighed wistfully, turning and sliding down to sit below the window with a lovesick grin. Plagg rolled his eyes in disgust at his holder’s sappiness.

“Oh puh-lease!” He said, shaking his head before floating off to eat more of his camembert.

 

Back across town, Marinette sat in her bedroom lips pursed as she thought hard back to earlier in the afternoon when she had first written the card to Adrien. “What do you mean you don’t remember? Did you sign the card or not?” Alya asked, eyeing her friend speculatively.

“I don’t know,” Marinette exclaimed fretfully, throwing her hands up in exasperation. “The ladybug came along while I was writing, then you were yapping about your blog, and then… it’s all a blur,” the girl sighed, throwing her hands up and shaking her head dejectedly. Alya burst out laughing with a shake of her head.

“I can’t believe you. The girl. Didn’t. Even. Sign it!” She giggled, grinning at her friend. “I love you and all, but sometimes you seriously bug. You know that, right?” She finished with a giggle. Marinette gave her a dubious look.

“I’m glad you find humor in my pain,” she said dryly, though a hint of a smile played at her lips. Alya grinned, totally unperturbed.

“Yeah, yeah, you love me. Anyway, girl. I gotta go update the Ladyblog. See you tomorrow?” She asked, glancing at her friend with a smile. Marinette nodded and the pair hugged before bidding each other a good night. Marinette watched her friend leave before her smile dropped and she sighed. _How could I forget to sign the stupid card?_ She asked herself, allowing herself to fall face first onto the chaise. It was going to be a long night.

 

That night, as the clock struck eight, Ladybug set down upon the Eiffel Tower. The night was dark, barely a sliver of a moon to lighten the sky, but the tower was a beacon of light and warmth. Although she had spent most of the day fretting about the unsigned card, Marinette had mostly put the mishap behind her. It had been a long day. The Akuma attack hadn’t been one of the worst they had faced, but it had been one of the most disturbing. Chat Noir had taken an arrow originally meant for her and in doing so, had turned against her. Fighting her partner hadn’t been pleasant and she hoped never to have a repeat. She cared about the leather-clad hero more than she cared to admit and that kiss… wow. If that was how kissing Chat was when he was under an Akuma’s spell, she couldn’t imagine what kissing him for real must be like. That thought alone was enough to concern her.

Ladybug had always been very diligent about keeping her relationship with Chat professional. They were friends, of course. They worked well together and for all her complaints about his silly puns or his tendency of making jokes at inopportune times, she couldn’t imagine anyone else as her partner. She cared about Chat; she _loved_ Adrien. Their kiss this afternoon should have meant nothing. It didn’t even count as a kiss because he had been under a spell and the kiss had been meant to save him. There had been no other way. So why did heat curl through the pit of her stomach as she recalled the soft press of his lips against hers? She _ought_ to have been imagining what her first kiss with _Adrien_ would be like; not reliving a stupid, meaningless kiss with _Chat Noir_. As if her thoughts had summoned him, Chat landed with a quiet thud behind her and Ladybug slowly turned to greet him. The words, however, died in her throat when she saw what her partner held in his hand.

Roses. A dozen of bright, red, perfect roses, tied with a single green ribbon. Ladybug opened her mouth in a little ‘o’ of shock as she stared wordlessly at the bouquet. Chat grinned impishly at rendering her speechless. “Chat got your tongue, my Lady?” He purred, moving closer with the bouquet still outstretched. Ladybug hesitantly lifted her hand, but rather than take the bouquet she trailed her fingers across one perfectly shaped rose almost reverently.

“Chat… they’re beautiful,” she breathed quietly. Chat made a soft sound of agreement at the back of his throat. Had Ladybug been looking up, she might have realized that Chat wasn’t referring to the roses when he agreed with her. In fact his gaze wasn’t anywhere near the bouquet. Rather, his green eyes were locked on the spotted heroine before him, watching as the wind softly ruffled her hair and the lights of the Eiffel Tower seemed to bounce off her blue, blue eyes making them almost seem to sparkle. She might have noticed that Chat was looking at her with the same reverence that she looked at the roses. She would have noticed the sheer love and adoration that filled his gaze with longing for the girl before him.

When she finally lifted her gaze, he had successfully masked his adoration and was now giving her his trademark smirk. “Are you going to just stare at them or are you going to take them, Bugaboo?” He asked playfully. The girl blushed-actually _blushed_ -and Chat felt his heart soar as she finally accepted the bouquet.

“I, um… I got you something too,” she said, suddenly fidgeting nervously. To say Chat was shocked was a gross understatement. Ladybug had gotten him something? He could honestly say without a doubt that he hadn’t expected anything from her. Turning away, she crossed to a small bag he hadn’t noticed before. Rummaging through the bag, she produced a small box and returned to his side before holding it out almost shyly. “It- it isn’t much but… here.” Chat smiled affectionately as he found the box being thrust awkwardly into his hands. Clearly Ladybug felt awkward about this whole gift-giving between partners things. “Um, I wasn’t sure what flavour you liked so… so I just went with chocolate. I mean, everyone likes chocolate, right?” She squeaked,

Curious, Chat opened the box. Inside was a small, rectangular cake. The cake was chocolate, with a thick fudge frosting covering the top and sides. Against the dark brown of the frosting was swirly green lettering that read _‘Joyeuse Saint Valentin, Chat Noir’_. When he looked up, Ladybug was smiling softly and holding out a fork.

“You look like a kid on Christmas Day,” she teased as he mutely took the fork from her. He smiled back at her.

“I feel like a kid on Christmas Day,” he responded, sliding the fork into the cake. It was so pretty, he was almost reluctant to eat it but he couldn’t resist. He had always had a major sweet tooth and besides, Ladybug had given it to him. How could he _not_ eat it? He lifted the fork to his mouth and slid the bite of cake between his lips. His eyes immediately widened and with a nervous titter Ladybug leaned forward. He had never seen such a look of concern on her face.

“What’s wrong, Chat? Is it bad? Is it the worst thing you’ve ever tasted? Omigawd, Chat, spit it out!” She squeaked fearfully, reaching out to take the cake from his grasp. She fully intended to hurl the offending cake over the edge of the Eiffel Tower and into oblivion but Chat expertly evaded her grasp.

“Bad? _Mon Dieu_ , Bugaboo. This is paws down the _best_ cake I’ve ever tasted! Where did you buy it!?” Chat exclaimed, beaming at her with a grin that could have rivaled the sun, it was so bright. Ladybug blinked, shocked at his proclamation, before dropping her eyes and shuffling in embarrassment.

“I uh… I actually um… I made it?” She stammered, wincing at the silence that followed her words. Risking a glance up, she found her partner staring at her, mouth open in shock.

“ _You_ made this?” Chat asked in disbelief. Ladybug had personally, handmade him a valentines present? Normally, girls only went through that much trouble for boys they liked. They didn’t typically do it for friends so did that mean… did Ladybug like him back? Chat thought back to the poem that afternoon; the answer to the one he had written and thrown away during class. Had Ladybug really written it for him? But then, why would she send it to his Civilian self… if that were the case? Did she know who he was beneath the mask? He didn’t think she did. In fact, he was certain she had no clue. That left the alternative. Perhaps Ladybug went to his school. Perhaps she was even in his class and maybe, just maybe, she liked his civilian self. He hardly dared to hope that was the case.  Frowning slightly, Chat debated simply coming out and asking but… Ladybug wasn’t likely to just tell him the truth. No, he had to be craftier than that. Perhaps… aha, that could work…

Ladybug watched Chat curiously. He had fallen silent and she could almost see the wheels turning in his head. She wondered what he was thinking about so deeply, when suddenly his green gaze shifted to fix on her. A small, innocent smile curved his lips and Ladybug stiffened apprehensively. _What is he planning?_ She wondered warily.

“This is amazing, my Lady. I uh… I actually made you something too.” He said suddenly. The pigtailed girl blinked in confusion, before curiosity got the better of her. Luckily, she wasn’t a cat so she had a much better time surviving her next question.

“Really? What is it?” She asked, canting her head to the side.

“Well, technically I wrote you something. A… a poem of sorts,” Chat said, moving closer until he stood directly in front of her. The new position forced Ladybug to tilt her head back in order to maintain eye contact with him and she idly wondered when her partner had gotten so tall.

“A poem?” She asked uncertainty.

“A poem,” he confirmed with a smile. “Would you like to hear it?” Ladybug hesitated briefly, but found herself nodding slowly. She was too curious to deny him at this point and Chat flashed her a cheshire grin, pleased with her answer before he began to speak, his voice taking on a deeper timbre that _did_ things to her.

 **Your hair is dark as night  
** **Your pretty bluebell eyes**

Ladybug blinked curiously, wondering at the words that sounded so familiar. She couldn’t place exactly where she had heard them before though.

 **I wonder who you are  
** **Beneath that strong disguise**

Slowly, her eyes widened and her heart stuttered nervously. Her mind flashed back to that afternoon. Back to an empty classroom and a crumpled up piece of paper fished from the depths of a waste basket.

 **Everyday we see each other  
** **And I hope that you’ll be mine**

The girl looked up at Chat as he smiled warmly down at her. When his hand moved up to brush back the lock of hair that had fallen across her forehead, her breath hitched and something in her belly tightened.

 **Together our love could be so true  
** **Please will you be my Valentine**

As the poem came to an end, Chat cupped the girl’s face in one hand, his thumb swiping at the tears she hadn’t even realized were falling. Concern lit up Chat’s green eyes as she stared into his Lady’s face. Never before had he seen the spotted heroine looking so scared and vulnerable. He would be lying if he said it didn’t scare him. Ladybug was always strong and infallible. To see her looking so completely petrified now made his heart drop and his throat tightens nervously.

“M-My Lady? W-What’s wrong?” Chat stammered. The girl blinked, and when she opened her mouth it wasn’t the answer he was expecting.

 **Your hair shines like the sun  
** **Your eyes are gorgeous green**

Chat Noir’s eyes widened as the familiar words, first read only a few hours earlier, filled the space between them. He hadn’t truly allowed himself to hope that the words that had so captivated him earlier had come from his Lady but now…

 **I look at you and wonder, your  
** **innermost thoughts and dreams**

The leather-clad hero felt his breath hitch in his throat as Ladybug stared up at him. Her eyes seemed to hold all the answers that he had sought for so long. They were beautiful, captivating, and for the first time, she seemed to actually be seeing him. Not as her goofy dork of a partner… but as if he were the sun, the stars, and the moon. She was looking at him the way he had often looked at him. There was a childlike wonder in the way she was looking at him now and it made his heart leap with joy.

 **Yes your Valentine I will be, our  
** **Love will be so true; Together  
** **For Eternity, my heart belongs to you**

Chat Noir let out a shaky breath as Ladybug stepped forward, closing the sliver of space between them. When she spoke again, a myriad of emotions laced her words. Worry, confusion, hope, fear, anger, happiness and relief and… something else that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. “A-Adrien?” She whispered nervously. Chat’s eyes widened at the sound of his civilian name falling from her lips.

“M-my Lady? Y-You know me? Outside of the suit?” He asked uncertainly. He had to be sure. The raven-haired girl nodded mutely and the boy felt his heart thud painfully. “A-and you answered my poem?” Again she nodded, her luminous blue eyes never leaving his. “A-and you s-sent the card to me… t-to Adrien?” She nodded a third time, swallowing hard before finally finding her voice.

“I- I forgot to sign it,” she squeaked, cheeks reddening below the mask.

“I noticed,” Chat laughed ruefully. “So… you like Adrien? You… you like my Civilian self?” Ladybug nodded slowly.

“And you like Ladybug. You like my alter ego,” she whispered, and immediately a fresh wave of tears flooded her eyes and a broken sob escaped her. “I- I’m so _stupid_ . I- I can’t believe I lost the love of my life to _MYSELF!”_ She spat, turning away and wrapping her arms around herself as if she could physically stop the pain currently unfurling in the pit of her stomach. It took Chat a moment to respond. He was rather hung up on the fact that Ladybug had just called him the love of her life. She loved him. _She_ loved him. _Ladybug_ loved _him_. The indescribable joy he felt upon that realization was shattered when the rest of her words caught up to him, punctuated by a soft, heartbroken sob. Alarmed, Chat reached for the girl.

“Ladybug, I-”

“ _Don’t,_ ” the girl growled, evading his grasp and taking several large steps away from him. She glared up at him forlornly through her tears. “You- you don’t get to pretend you like _me_ when all you ever see is the mask. You’re like everyone else. Everyone is in love with the mask… _no one_ cares about the girl underneath.” She scoffed, shaking her head in disgust. Chat bristled and closed the space between them in three strides, grasping her shoulders to hold her in place when she would have moved away from him once more. She glared up at him and he glared down at her.

“Don’t you _dare_ discredit my feelings for you. I love _you_.” He said firmly. The girl snorted and tried to free herself from his grasp but his hold was like steel.

“You don’t know me, Chat. Under the mask I’m clumsy and awkward and shy. I am _nothing_ like Ladybug and if I told you who I was, you would turn away from me. Everyone would. You would… you would lose faith in me-” She broke off abruptly, bottom lip quivering as she fought back her tears.

“You’re wrong. I might not know you personally, but I know you better than anyone else. I know you’re smart, clever, and funny. I know you take your responsibilities more seriously than anyone I’ve ever known. I know that you’re kind and loyal and protective. I know you strive for perfection and I know you fear falling short of perfection in the eyes of your peers. I know you aren’t perfect. I know you’re rash and impulsive at times; I know you hate it when people compare you to Chloe Bourgeois and I know you can be a little prone to jealousy at times. I also know you can be insanely impatient at times,” he smiled as the girl wrinkled her nose and furrowed her brow. “I know your amazing, with or without the mask. The mask is just that, Bugaboo. It’s a costume; a disguise. Sure, the Miraculous make us stronger and faster and gives us amazing powers, but we are still the same people underneath. You’re an amazing person, and I love you… whether you’re Ladybug… or Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”

Chat smirked as the girl’s head snapped up, eyes blown wide with shock at his words. “H-how… but how did… when did…” She stammered nervously. Chat chuckled and cupped her cheek affectionately.

“I told you. I don’t see the mask, I see _you_ , Marinette. You can’t hide anymore.” His thumb brushed back and forth across her cheek as she stared at him, her luminous blue eyes showcasing an endless stream of emotions. There were too many to decipher, and Chat was more than content to wait for her to sort through her emotions. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity but in reality was less than five minutes, a look of determination and resoluteness settled upon the girl’s face. Chat quirked an eyebrow and started to speak, but was stopped when the girl suddenly grabbed his head, fingers delving into the soft golden hair framing his face, and pulled him down to claim his mouth with hers. The boy took only a nanosecond before giving into the kiss. The two released their transformations and Tikki giggled as she floated discreetly away with a grumbling Plagg, as the pair of lovers rediscovered their partner in a whole new way.


End file.
